Does anyone remember a restaurant called Chelsea Place?

I'm wondering if anyone remembers a restaurant called Chelsea Place. It was in Chelsea, and you entered through an antique store and went downstairs to get to the restaurant. They had put up some glass walls and there was lovely garden in the courtyard space that you could see while in the restaurant. I know that Chelsea Place closed quite a long time ago-- but I wonder if the antique store might still be there? I'm wondering if another restaurant might possibly be using the space? And lastly, I'm wondering if anyone who remembers the atmosphere and the food could suggest somewhere in the City that might have that same tucked away, hidden, you have to know to find it kind of place, of course with good food. Thanks!

I don't know how many responses you are going to get. Chelsea Place (and the antique store) closed about 25 years ago. Unfortunately, places like that can no longer exist given the real estate and restaurant market today. Perhaps there are some wannabes in Brooklyn that might approximate your desires, but nothing hits me at this moment. Ask on the Outer Boroughs board if you are interested.

I was there back in the 80ies. Although the store entrance on 8th av closed, the restaurant space continued to function. It has an entrance on 17th St. down a short ramp a little bit West of 8th av. When I ate there 2 years ago it was a high end Mexican place which was very good.

Artie's Warehouse. The first upscale/hip restaurant attempt in an old warehouse building east of 10th Avenue. Hard to think anyone would go to that neighborhood for anything food or art or residential related. A place way ahead of its time.

I remember Chelsea Place, the fact that you entered through an antique shop made it "cool". Artie's Warehouse was very popular and people loved the idea that if you drove by in the daytime there was a steel roll up door closed, and you wouldn't even know there was a restaurant there. It was in the days of the disco Les Mouches also in Chelsea and the Empire Diner in its prime. Nowadays, Artie's concept still works i.e. Fette Sau , people love that garage idea.

Whoa, that's a blast from the past. I lived in Chelsea in the late 80s/early 90s and went to Chelsea Place a few times, just to have drinks. Do I remember correctly that part of the sign was shaped like a piano?

I don't know of anyplace with a) good food and b) the same "you can't tell what it is from the street" vibe, but in my current 'hood, the LES, there's La Caverna and Beauty and Essex. To get to La Caverna, you descend a flight of stairs into a cave-like room. Don't go there expecting to have a good time, though, unless a cave-like room is enough for you. It's loud and hot and the crowd is annoying. Beauty and Essex has an ersatz shop as its entrance, but once inside, you'll be in a pretty standard fancy-loungy place.